1. The Geography of Slavery Exploring the Effects of Geography on Patterns of African Slavery and Slave Trade Utah Geographic Alliance Spring Conference March 13, 2009 Jeffery D Nokes PhD Brigham Young University jeff_nokes@byu.edu

2. Why were Africans brought as slaves by Europeans to the Americas? Why not Europeans brought as slaves by Asians to Australia, for example?

3. Reason 1: Because they could Some regions geographically blessed – Wild species suitable for agriculture – Ease of spreading agriculture Inequalities among societies – Some get guns, germs, and steel

4. Wild species suitable for agriculture Sheep Goat Cow Pig Horse Arabian Camel Bactrian Camel Llama/alpaca Donkey Reindeer Water Buffalo Yak Bali Cattle Mithan Where did these animals’ wild ancestors originate?

5. Why didn’t Sub-Saharan Africans domesticate their native animals? Constraints on domestication: – diet – growth rate – captive breeding – nasty disposition – tendency to panic – social structure Of 148 candidates only 14 meet all requirements

6. Spread of Agriculture

8. Reason 1: Because they could Inequalities among societies – Some get guns, germs, and steel

9. Why were Africans brought as slaves by Europeans to the Americas? What motivated people from one region to force the migration of millions from another region into a third region?

10. Reason 2: Because it was profitable Plantation system to produce cash crops – Sugar – Tobacco – Cotton Plantation needs – Land – Labor

11. American Plantations Portuguese plantations in Brazil (Engenho) – Agriculture – Industrial – Slaves imported in 1530s – High death rates of slaves (5-10% annually) French Haiti Spanish Caribbean and Mexico English North America

12. Reason 2: It was profitable

13. 13 The Atlantic Slave Trade Where to? 5% 60% 35% 65% 30% 5% Where from?

14. Triangular trade and the movement of people and goods

15. 15 Triangle Trade North America The Carribean Africa MolassesRum, weapons Slaves

16. 16 Number of people enslaved 30 million taken from their homes 10 million die during capture phase 10 million die during middle passage 10 million survive to make it over the ocean

17. 17 Capture Phase Tribes often did not have a choice in helping capture neighbors “divide and conquer” Most captured 50-100 miles inland

18. 18 West African expectations about slavery A slave’s child would not be a slave Slaves were not slaves for life

19. 19 Phases of the Slave Trade Capture: Christiansborg Castle, Gold Coast, ca. 1750 Cape Coast Castle, Gold Coast, 1727

20. 20 The Middle Passage Journey over the Atlantic Ocean 400-500 people in a boat with little air & much disease

21. Why were Africans brought as slaves by Europeans to the Americas? Why not just use the people who were already there?

22. Reason 3: Because Native Americans weren’t as profitable slaves Native Americans have no immunity to European diseases – 50-90% died – Taino extinct Nomadic Native Brazilians migrated into interior

23. Why didn’t Europeans die from Native American diseases? Geographic influences on disease – Animal domestication – Population density – Movement of people and goods (the plagues of the Middle Ages) – Geographic proximity/isolation Native Americans were relatively disease free

24. Why were Africans brought as slaves by Europeans to the Americas? Why not create the plantations in Africa?

25. Reason 4: Tropical Africa was too difficult to colonize Malaria Less arable land African resistance to European diseases European colonies restricted to coastal areas until Industrial Revolution

26. Reason 4: Tropical Africa was too difficult to colonize

27. European Influence on the Interior of Africa

28. Why were Africans brought as slaves by Europeans to the Americas? Geography advantaged Europeans over Africans and Native Americans – Agriculture – Technology Geography created an economic opportunity Geography eliminated Native Americans as a slave force Geography promoted Africans as a viable slave force Geography eliminated Africa as a viable location for plantations

29. The impact of the slave trade on world geography today Caribbean culture Brazilian culture North American culture

30. The impact of the slave trade on world geography today Challenges facing African nations and cultures today – poverty – illiteracy – ethnic conflict

31. Sources Guns, Germs, Steel: http://science.csumb.edu/~h kibak/200/ Sheep: http://www.realclimate.org/i mages/Sheep.jpg Chart: http://roboconsumer.files.wo rdpress.com/2007/08/guns_g erms_steel.png?w=499&h=4 85 African school: http://www.fao.org/sd/erp/im g/school-africa.jpg Farming: http://skyeome.net/Benderd eMoll01/thesisImages/Cavall i.JPG World map: http://www.wall- maps.com/World/NGPhysic alWorld-over-f.htm Smallpox: http://www.rense.com/1.imag esH/smallpox.jpg

32. Sources Triangular trade: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/An thro/Anth234/triangle.jpg Africa: http://www.mara.org.za/images/pic distr.gif Zebras: http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/cm s/files/odp/imagecache/full/files/od p/Zebra%20fight.jpg Africa old: http://www.maps- charts.com/images/800.25%20Afri que%20-%201669%20- %20Sanson.jpg Slave graph: http://web000.greece.k12.ny.us/So cialStudiesResources/GlobalHistor yandGeographyResources.htm Slave trade: http://xenohistorian.faithweb.com/ africa/slaves.JPG Middle passage: http://faculty.lacitycollege.edu/moo nmc/html/slavepic2.html Haiti: http://www.greaterworksoutreach.o rg/pictures/Haiti.jpg